


call me home and I will build a throne

by MarylinC



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, i love education and magic schools and students so yeah, magic school au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28472235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarylinC/pseuds/MarylinC
Summary: “Miss Knotwise, your assignment in Chronurgy magic and the inherent scrambling of timelines is back at your desk, properly graded. I would very much enjoy having some tea over it later, when you don’t seem quite so busy,” he eyed the closed books and rolled up scrolls of parchment around them. Sofia grinned.“I’d love to do that, Professor Widogast! Maybe after the Feast, when I’m not so caught up on this project?” she asked, and he nodded. Narr knew that other people would be very much suspicious of his friend if she said something like that to them, but Professor Essek wasn’t prone to imagine people were doing something nice for him. Even after years and years of teaching and receiving various gifts from his students, he always had that surprised look of awe and pleasure every time they gave him something. Maybe that’s why giving him presents was so good.A bright young student at the Widogasts' Whistling Towers decided to give her Professors a Winter's Crest gift.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 14
Kudos: 59





	call me home and I will build a throne

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so!  
> This is my first ever completed shadowgast fic, and I had loads of fun writing this. Hope y'all like it!
> 
> Title is from "Lover of the Light" - Mumford & Sons. Thank you people at the [redacted] servers for the playlists, ideas and encouragement. All of you were my light in these dark days in 2020.

Sofia sat at a small table on one of the many nooks and corners of her school's library. She had piles of books hiding her small gnomish frame, and was frantically taking notes and drawing diagrams on a very neatly organized journal. Her pale blond hair reflected the flickering glow of the dancing lights that lingered around her, more for comfort than for actual usefulness. She drew and thought and theorized in the empty library, biting her lower lip in concentration. Even the people who were commonly up late studying were gone, and she knew that the dawn would greet her through the tall windows soon. She didn't really care.

It was only when another source of light gleamed in the dark room that she looked up, her eyes widening at the sight of a man with ginger hair and a flash of light on the palm of his hand. She quickly hid her notes and tried not to look too suspicious as Professor Caleb Widogast gave her a small smile and asked:

"Still awake, Sofia?"

"Yeah, Professor. I was…" she hesitated and then returned his smile with a sheepish one. "I was thinking of a theory from your Transmutation class."

"Oh, which one?" Professor Caleb sat down next to her, pointedly not looking at her books but focusing his full attention on the bright-eyed gnome student.

"Oh, uh, I was thinking of an easier glyph to transmute metal into whatever someone wants. A small scale one, that doesn't require a very high level spell," she explained, knowing that she wasn't really lying - she _did_ think about that, but she already had a solution. Professor Widogast seemed to accept her explanation, as he nodded.

"If you need any help, let me know, _ja_?" he said. "And take care of your sleeping schedule, young one. I know people who work better at night, but you've never struck me as one of them."

"Well, no, not really. I was just really excited about this," she answered, smiling. A truth. She _was_ excited about what she was doing. "I think I'll be able to show it to you on our Winter Feast, Professor Widogast."

"I'll be looking forward to it," he smiled encouragingly, and rested his chin on his left hand, his elbow on the table. The movement made the ring on his finger glitter in the dim light, a black pearl with silver filigree. It was a reminder of his commitment to the other Head Professor of the school. "Is it all right for me to stay? I have been meaning to ask you something, but you are quite busy," he asked, and Sofia smiled.

"It's all right, Professor! It's time for a break anyway, I think. What do you want to ask?"

"You are under no obligation of telling me, of course, but… I am just curious. Why is it that you prefer to spend your summer holidays here instead of home?"

"Well…" she hesitated, but thought that telling her favourite adult about her home situation wouldn't make it any worse. "For a start, they insist on using a name I don't identify with. It's…” She searched for words, trying not to make it sound too bad. “It’s annoying. And sad. I'd rather stay here."

"I see…" Professor Widogast nodded quietly. "You are always welcome to stay here, for as long as you want. I hope you know that," he added, using a hand motion to summon his famous cat familiar. Frumpkin curled up on Sofia's lap and she stroked his fur, smiling.

"I know. But thanks for saying it, Professor. The Towers are a home to many of us, you should be proud."

"We are," he said, but his small smile was back as he continued "We are proud of all of you, the generations of young wizards that are making this world a better place."

"You've built a home here, Professor Widogast. You've got hundreds of students who love you. _You're_ making the world a better place, we're only learning how to do it ourselves," she pointed out, more passionately than she thought she would be. He smiled, nodding once again, and stood up. 

"Are you going to bed?" he asked, and Sofia shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess so," she said, and then a thought crossed her mind. "Professor Widogast, why are you awake? You scolded me to take care of my sleeping schedule, but you're awake!"

"I have risen early because I have arranged with the other Professor Widogast for us to watch the sunrise together. He loves it," he gave her a short laugh, as if he still couldn't believe his luck. "Take care, Sofia. If you need a nap between classes tomorrow, let me know."

"I will, Professor Widogast. Good night!" 

She watched as her professor peacefully walked away, the light back on his hand. Frumpkin looked at her with his glowing eyes and an accusatory expression, and she rolled her eyes with a resigned smile as she understood Professor Widogast's delicate way of telling her to get the hell to bed. She placed Frumpkin on the table, scratching his ears and collected her books, thinking that she really should get her project done before she gave away too much. There wasn't much left to do, but she had left the trickiest part of it to last, and there were only a couple of weeks left before the winter holidays and the famous Winter Feast of the Towers. Her present would be perfect, she would make sure of it!

***

Sofia sat by one of the walls of the training grounds of the Towers, her notes spread around her as she tinkered with a piece of metal and, from time to time, looked up to watch her best friend elegantly slay energy-made enemies with his glowing sword and gravity magic. The silver glow contrasted with his dark green skin, and his growing tusks made his smile wide and a little bit feral. He used a word in Undercommon to deactivate the training enemies and sat down next to her, carefully removing her notes and spreading them again in the same pattern. He put on his round reading glasses and let his sword stop glowing, picking up the diagram that she had drawn and quietly humming a song before saying:

"You're a genius, Dimples."

"The glasses ruin your entire intimidating presence, did you know that?" she commented, smiling and resting her head on his side as she used a glyph to twist the piece of metal.

"I've been told that, yeah. It's the glasses and the smile," he retorted, laughing. "But well, who cares about intimidating people if you can crush them to death when necessary?"

"Fair point, Narr," she conceded, still not looking up from her notes and experiment. Narr looked around, sheathing his sword and letting his friend move until her head rested on his lap. He played with her soft blond hair as he watched random students practice battle magic and get yelled at by their instructor, a loud aaracockra that was all about reactions and fast thinking. Narr was one of the biggest students at the Towers, but he was swift and quick enough to never get more than a soft "well done" from his teacher. He didn't really need the sword, but it brought him comfort and made him stand out from the hundreds of mages across Exandria. He had tried to fit in once, but the school made him see that being his true self was more important than pleasing people. 

"Hey, don't look too suspicious, but Professor Widogast is coming," he warned Sofia, stealthily using his mage hand to close and hide some of the most telling books.

"Which one?" she asked, still not looking up.

"Professor Essek," he answered, watching the elegant drow float into the big room with tall windows that they called the training grounds. His silver hair glittered in the sunlight, and he had his sun protection glasses on as he talked to the aaracockra for a couple of minutes and then turned to float in their direction. Sofia slowly raised up from her comfortable spot on Narr’s lap, fixing her hair as a way of concealing her own mage hand hiding more notes. Professor Widogast caught up and promptly sat down next to them, his cloak spreading out on the floor and half-covering his dark trousers and shoes. It wasn’t an unusual sight, if an odd one. Coming from a famous den in the Kryn Dynasty, he had this dignified and noble air to him, but every student of the Towers knew that he wasn’t one to use formality where it wasn’t needed. Narr suspected that he used to be that person, but nowadays he would just sit down and discuss magic or philosophy or politics with students and no one would bat an eye. They all loved him for it.

“Good afternoon,” he greeted with a nod, supporting his back on the wall behind them before turning to Narr. “Mr. Narr, would you be interested in tutoring some students that have been struggling with battle magic?”

“Oh, of course,” the orc easily agreed. He rather enjoyed helping out, and there were very few things that he would refuse to do if this particular professor was the one asking. “How many?”

“There are five of them. Like you, they are skilled with melee weapons, but combining physical combat with magic is something not many people are naturals at,” Professor Essek explained, then looked at Sofia with a brief smile. “Miss Knotwise, your assignment in Chronurgy magic and the inherent scrambling of timelines is back at your desk, properly graded. I would very much enjoy having some tea over it later, when you don’t seem quite so busy,” he eyed the closed books and rolled up scrolls of parchment around them. Sofia grinned.

“I’d love to do that, Professor Widogast! Maybe after the Feast, when I’m not so caught up on this project?” she asked, and he nodded. Narr knew that other people would be very much suspicious of his friend if she said something like that to them, but Professor Essek wasn’t prone to imagine people were doing something nice for him. Even after years and years of teaching and receiving various gifts from his students, he always had that surprised look of awe and pleasure every time they gave him something. Maybe that’s why giving him presents was so good.

"Making a gift for someone special?" he inquired, and she nodded without giving any other explanations. Narr picked up the conversation by asking a theoretical question about his last Dunamancy class, and the three of them passionately discussed magical theory for a couple of minutes. Professor Widogast then slowly stood up and bid them goodbye, calmly floating about until he was out of the room and out of sight. 

"You wanna go back to the library?" the bigger of the two friends asked, but Sofia declined.

"Nah, I've tinkered with this enough for the day. Let's get some air outside before the afternoon classes," she suggested, and Narr agreed. He picked up both his sword and some of his friend's books as she climbed onto his shoulders holding some more of the books and notes. The two of them left the training grounds, Sofia cheerfully chatting on her friend's shoulders as he walked across the spireling hallways until they reached the set of large double doors that led to the outside of the Towers. There hasn't been a time where the doors were closed that she could remember, and maybe Sofia was reading too much into it, but the fact rather reminded her of her recent late night conversation with the other Professor Widogast. She would always be welcome there.

"...and I was wondering if I could use that glyph I told you ab- what the hell is this noise?!" the gnome quickly turned towards the sudden screams and flares of magic that took over their senses. Narr frowned and started running in that direction, the ever-present mist of the outside easily parting for the two friends. The sky shone bright blue over them, and on the ground glittered infinite constellations that reflected exactly their position in Exandria at the moment. It was a beautiful sight, but they didn't stop to look as the sounds of battle got closer and closer. Narr unsheathed his sword and used the free hand to better accommodate Sofia, both of them ready to jump in if necessary.

As they closed in, the source of the comotion became clear. A group of students had opened a wide circle and, in the middle, two people shot spell after spell towards each other. A duel, and a clearly illegal and passionate one. The crowd cheered and yelled as the two figures brawled and used shields to redirect spells, and Sofia was puzzled as Narr grabbed a random student and asked:

"What the hell is going on?"

"I'm not sure, I was just passing and the fight started!" the boy said, looking as frightened as he was interested.

"Why isn't anyone _doing_ anything?!" Sofia yelled in frustration, leaping out of her friend's shoulders and starting to charge towards the two figures. She was halfway there when one of them took out a scroll from his robes and started saying an incantation. The gnome, being the nerd that she was, instantly recognized it and her eyes widened as she gathered all of the magic within her being to scream:

" _Counterspell!_ " 

The dude seemed utterly confused when his spell fizzled away, and more so when a small gnome girl knocked him down with a clever pull of his leg and restrained him with magical rope, staring wide-eyed as she asked:

"Where did you get that?!"

"Get what?" the boy, a tanned elven guy, retorted.

"You _know_ what I'm talking about. How did you get that scroll?"

"What are you talking about, Sofia?" Narr finally catched up to her, and she looked up with fire in her eyes.

"The spell. The one he was casting from the scroll. I recognize it," she stated angrily. "It's _Power Word Kill_."

" _What?!_ " half the crowd screamed, and Narr's jaw dropped as he looked at the dude. 

"Somebody get Professors Widogast!" someone in the crowd exclaimed, and a familiar voice answered:

"There is no need, I am already here."

The crowd suddenly parted to reveal Professor Essek Widogast floating in their direction, arm behind his back and furrowed eyebrows. He was using a pink parasol to protect himself from the sun, and the image could be funny if it wasn't for the serious look on his face. Sofia was still on top of the tied-up kid, but Professor Essek didn't acknowledge her but used his free hand to point at the other figure, a half-dwarf girl with a scrawny-looking beard who was trying to get away, and freezed her with a hand motion. Then he picked up the scroll that fell to the ground with his mage hand and opened it, his silvery eyes glowing dangerously angry.

"Everybody, get back to your rooms and stay there until I summon you," he said, his command tone bringing a chill to Sofia's spine. When people didn't move, he looked around once and added " _Now._ "

The students started rushing away back into the Towers, but neither Sofia or Narr moved. The gnome was afraid that the kid she was holding would get loose again, and her friend wasn't going anywhere without her. Professor Essek closed the scroll and waited until the five of them were alone, then turned to Sofia:

"How did you figure out which spell it was?"

"The initial glyphs are unmistakable if someone has studied them," she explained. "And I have because last year I was obsessed with 9th level spells, as you probably remember."

"I do remember," he conceded. "A very good reaction, Miss Knotwise. Now, the two of you, please return to your room until you are called for," Professor Widogast asked, making the infractors float with a flip of his fingers. Sofia jumped off her fellow student and started walking off with Narr towards their bedroom. She was painfully curious, but knew that a thing of that magnitude (How did that kid get his hands on such a powerful scroll?!) was probably best left to the responsible adults. 

"Do you think there's something evil going on?" Narr asked, and Sofia shrugged.

"Don't know," she answered. "Hope the Feast isn't ruined by it, it's in two weeks."

"Wow. You literally prevented a kid from commiting _murder_ and that's what you're worried about?" he once again sheathed his sword, frowning.

"The Professors will figure out the murder part," she simply stated. "It's not really our job to worry about it, is it?"

"No, but…" Narr stopped himself, sighing. "Okay, I know you're curious too. But if you think we're better off not getting involved, I trust your judgement."

"Yeah, I do think that," she agreed, holding out her hand so he could hold it. The two of them walked back to the room they shared, changing the subject for more pleasant ones, and dared not to think what would have happened if they weren't there.

***

It was common knowledge that the Professors' offices stood up on top of the tallest of the Towers, which was mostly occupied by the personal quarters of the school's staff and research laboratories. It was also known that the choice wasn't made by a sense of superiority or authority, but simply because Professor Essek knew that Professor Caleb loved the height. It was also known that the rooms that they occupied were split in four: the entrance, which was their joint offices; two chambers with their private desks that were mostly used for serious matters; and their private bedroom. When someone was brought into their quarters for a conversation, the tone of how heavily concerned the Head Professors were was revealed by which room they would use. Most matters were solved in the larger circular chamber filled with bookshelves, a larger desk and comfortable sofas. Tall windows with thick curtains framed that room, and students were usually relieved to be sitting there. It meant that the subject that brought them there could be easily solved.

The room in which Sofia sat now was clearly Professor Essek's personal office, a dark room with silver accents and expensive looking furniture. His desk was mostly empty, only a journal and two books in a neat pile next to ink and a blue feather pen that stood out from the rest of the decor. Behind the desk rested a glass-made shelf with dark purple pillars that occupied the whole back wall, each individual nook presenting a different object. The gnome recognized one of her earliest gifts to him: a metal butterfly that contained a simple spell that made it fly. She had never come into this room before, and she understood that each object presented there was a gift a student or friend gave Professor Essek. 

Narr sat next to her, twisting his fingers the only sign that he was nervous at all. Their Professor sat in front of them, on his chair, and sipped from a delicate tea cup that also didn't match the refined decor. He seemed more worried than angry, his silver eyebrows furrowed and his mouth a thin line. After a final sip of tea, he spent some seconds fidgeting with his wedding ring (rose gold with a diamond-shaped amber, simple and elegant) before simply stating:

"I have talked to every single person that was present at the incident, and no one knows why the fight had started."

"We also don't know, Professor Widogast," Narr said. "When we got there, things were already happening."

"Yes, I assumed it would be the case," Professor Essek nodded. "You two are here for a different reason."

"Professor?" Sofia asked, suddenly confused.

"Were you familiar with either of the students involved?" he inquired, and both of them said no. "They claimed to be fighting over a girl."

"A girl?!" the gnome asked, astonished. "With _Power Word Kill_?"

"Yes, I also found that hard to believe," he answered, sighing heavily. "What concerns me is where on earth that boy found that scroll."

"Professor, why are you sharing this with us?" Narr asked. "I don't mind, of course, I'm curious, but this matter does seem out of our league."

"You were the ones to prevent a terrible outcome, I consider sharing my concerns only fair," Professor Widogast explained. "I will see to it, of course. There are ways of analyzing who initially created the scroll, and I intend to use this absurd situation as a learning moment for the two of you."

"Isn't scroll-making an advanced subject?" Sofia inquired. "We're 4th circle students, Professor."

"I am aware, and I believe that you two are quite capable," he gave them a small smile. "You are welcome to decline my offer, of course."

"I'll take it," Narr smiled back. "But I think Sofia here is quite caught up on her personal project," he looked at his friend, who shrugged.

"I am, but there are many hours to a day. I'd never pass an opportunity of learning from you, Professor Widogast," she answered, nearly jumping with excitement. She said she wouldn't get involved, but learning something more from that brilliant man was too good of an opportunity to pass.

"Very well," his smile grew a little, his pointed fangs showing. "Meet me at the Moonshine Laboratory tonight. And I gather most of your assignments from the current curriculum are done?"

"Most of them, yeah," Sofia agreed, and looked at Narr. "We do have that History research that's due in three days to complete, right?"

"Oh, yes, that," he made a face. "Why do we have to study the history of the Cerberus Assembly, Professor? Aren't they a bunch of, if you don't mind me saying, dickheads?"

Professor Essek's smile grew even more, and he chuckled before answering:

"Exactly for that reason, Mr. Narr. So you would come to the conclusion that they are, as you put it, dickheads, by study instead of experience."

"Mhm, that's a fair point," Narr conceded. 

"Anyway, finish your assignments before meeting me, yes? I shall be there most of the evening."

Both of them shook their heads to agree, and Sofia hesitated for a second before inquiring:

"Professor, if you don't mind me asking, what is going to happen to those two?"

"They are to be confined to their quarters until we make sense of how the scroll was acquired. They mentioned a girl, but wouldn't say her name, so until we understand what exactly happened they will have to be apart," Professor Essek explained, then waved a hand and the double doors behind them opened. "I have taken too much of your time, and mine. You are dismissed from today's afternoon classes if you want to."

Narr and Sofia looked at each other, sparks of joy very badly concealed on their expressions, and Essek's amused smile turned soft. They bid him goodbye and closed the door behind them, leaving the Professor to return to his worries. He sipped his tea and brought the scroll back from its place on his pocket dimension, studying it with his silvery eyes and getting more puzzled as the thoughts ran through his mind. He knew who the kid with the scroll was, and that was what made absolutely no sense. He came from a poor family in Tal'Dorei, he couldn't have simply purchased the scroll from a seller during summer holidays. But the glyphs were…

" _Liebling_ , would you like more tea?" His trail of thought was interrupted by a familiar voice with a zemnian accent, Caleb peeking through a partially open door with a kettle that resembled the delicate painting of Essek's tea cup and a quiet smile on his bearded face. The drow looked up and sighed, giving his husband a tired smile before nodding.

"Put the kettle there at the main room, I'll join you for tea," he said, and Caleb agreed with a nod and vanished for some seconds before returning just to make sure this husband would walk without pain to sit on their favourite sofa, Essek bringing his tea cup and the scroll with his mage hand and locking the double doors that led out of their rooms. He realized he spent too much time thinking when he saw the curtains of their main room drawn open to reveal the end of the sunset, night nearly falling completely. He grimaced as he poured himself and Caleb a cup of tea. "Why haven't you interrupted me earlier?"

"I did open the door a couple of times, but you were so deep in thought that you didn't notice," his husband said, a small laugh in his lips as he sipped the tea. 

"I apologize, this matter has been consuming my brain the whole afternoon," Essek said, and Caleb nodded.

"I understand. One of the staff told me briefly about what happened. _Power Word Kill_ , really?"

"That is what it looks like," he gestured at the rolled up scroll on the small centre table next to the tea set. "I worry that the boy has been mixing up with some shady business, one wouldn't simply go to a magic store and buy a scroll such as this."

" _Ja,_ I agree. But hey," the redheaded man called, using one of his hands to cup his husband's cheek. Essek leaned into the touch, closing his eyes with a soft smile. "Stop tiring your beautiful brain with unanswered questions before you work alongside those children to actually learn something."

"Who told you about my plans for Miss Knotwise and Mr. Narr?"

"No one, I simply know my husband too well," Caleb smiled, his thumb slowly caressing the other's cheek. 

"Well, Mr. Widogast," Essek's smile turned into a mischievous grin as he opened one of his eyes to look at his husband's freckled face. "Since you so wisely recommended I rest my brain, would you provide some sort of distraction for it?"

"Oh, _Mr. Widogast_ ," Caleb chuckled, his hand stopping the caressing and lifting up his husband's chin. "I am more than willing to provide."

***

Widogasts’ Whistling Towers was the full name of the floating magical school that was home to so many students. Exandria’s newest origin of extraordinary wizards who weren’t necessarily bound to any sort of government, the Towers received that name because, when it was finally put to float in thin air, the wind passing through made whistling noises that lasted until it went above the clouds. Nowadays, every time the Towers would go down, whistles could be heard from the school grounds and beyond, to the land closest to where they were going. Neither of the Head Professors knew exactly why the whistling happened, but they found it ominous enough to add to the Towers’ reputation. 

Sofia and Narr laid a couple of feet away from the edge of the Towers, the gnome with her head on her friend’s stomach as they looked up at the sky and listened to the whistles of the school as it moved down. After spending half of the night finishing a boring research about the people who caused several problems to the world and the other half studying what essentially was a scroll of murder, both of them felt like melting and joining the starry pavement of the school grounds. Sofia even had her current project in her hands, but her brain was way too tired to tinker with it.

“Where do you think we’re going?” Narr asked, referring to the whistling. 

“Tal’Dorei, I guess. Since we figured out that the glyphs on the scroll come from an elvish wizard, and the kid that tried to kill the other comes from there,” she answered, yawning. “At least we’re done with the Cerberus Assembly for the term, how annoying it was to read those people do that kind of shit.”

“Yeah, we should get a good sleep this afternoon. The Nap Room is there to use, right?” Narr suggested, and Sofia agreed. “We just have to turn in both papers we’ve already done and go nap.”

“Gods, I hope the moorbounder is available when we get there, it’s so good to sleep in it,” she said. 

“Yeah, reminds me of home,” the orc smiled, and his friend turned to him.

“Hey, you’ve never told me much about your home. You spend half the summer here with me, but still goes home. What’s up with that?”

“Oh, well… My folks are blacksmiths. They made me my sword and I helped enchant it when I got here,” he explained. “My hometown is Rosohna, as you know, and they’re good folk, but… They just don’t really get magic. And since magic is so important to me, well…”

“They don’t really get you,” Sofia completed. Narr nodded, and then felt the gnome shift until she was laying on top of him, giving him a hug. He laughed and took his arms out from behind this head to hug her back, sitting up.

“You’re more my home than back with my folks, did you know that?” he said, ruffling her hair. “You’re my best friend, Dimples.”

“I love you too, Narr,” she pinched his nose, smiling as he blew her a raspberry.

“Sorry for not wanting to be sappy for once. I love you, and I’ll crush anyone that tries to break us apart.”

“You started being sappy all by yourself, I just wanted you to follow through,” Sofia laughed. Then they heard another soft laugh and looked around to see Professor Caleb Widogast walking in their direction. He had a sad smile on his face, and commented:

“Now you two make me miss my best friends. They are far away.”

“Maybe you could visit them,” Sofia suggested. “You do own a flying castle and can teleport, Professor.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious, Sofia,” Professor Widogast laughed, rolling his eyes. “I shall visit them soon enough, but I am not here for your obvious advice.”

“What are you here for then, Professor?” Narr asked, a trace of laughter on his tired face.

“After the two of you have taken your very much needed nap, I need you to-” he was cut off by the sound of an explosion, and his blue eyes widened. “ _Scheiße_ , what on earth is going on these days?!”

The two students stood up and started running behind their Professor, and it was only when they reached the entrance that they understood what happened. A wall of fire split the main hallway in two, and a goblin boy looked at his hands, wide-eyed. There weren’t many people there, and with a quick glance Professor Widogast made sure no one was seriously injured before he calmly walked towards the boy. Sofia and Narr watched as he stepped around the flames and put both his hands up in front of him, as if in surrender, and said:

“Gillik, child, I need you to calm down.”

“Professor Widogast, I… I’m sorry, I…!” the child started talking, and his distress was apparent when the flames soared higher and the temperature of the room raised.

“I am not mad at you, boy. Sometimes magic is beyond our control,” he answered. “You are here to learn how to control it, master it to do your will. It is all right to make mistakes.”

“I… I’m sorry,” the boy had tears in his big brown eyes, and Professor Widogast took more steps closer to him, kneeling down until their eyes met.

“It is all right. Now, breath with me, _ja_?” he took a deep breath and counted to 4 with his fingers, releasing it through his mouth. When he took a second breath, Gillik followed, and they counted together. By the third time they breathed in, the flames started diminishing. On the fifth breath, they were completely gone. Professor Widogast smiled and ruffled the boy’s hair, standing up. “Now that’s better, isn’t it?”

“Th… Thank you, Professor Widogast,” Gillik gave him a teary smile, and the man nodded. He looked around, for the students that were burnt, and said:

“Anyone who has any mild burns, please go straight to the infirmary. Burns hurt a great deal if not properly treated.”

The dozen or so students that clutched their injured arms or had charred eyebrows nodded, rushing in the same direction into the Towers. Gillik, the goblin boy, crossed his arms as if embracing himself, and looked up at Professor Widogast with an admiration that Sofia completely related to. 

“I’m sorry again, Professor Widogast. I’ll try harder!” he promised, and the redheaded Head Professor nodded.

“It is all right, Gillik. I honestly have done worse back in my days as a student,” he said with a chuckle. Gillik’s eyes widened.

“Did you?”

“I blew up an entire classroom by accident once,” Professor Widogast laughed. “Back at the Soltryce Academy, we were rather encouraged to experiment. I, well, experimented.”

“Weren’t you punished, Professor?” Sofia asked, the recent Cerberus Assembly knowledge that she acquired still fresh in her mind. He nodded, and then shrugged.

“I was, but then again, worse things happened to me later. The past is past,” he said. All three students agreed, and for a couple of seconds only the whistling of the Towers was being heard. Until Narr looked behind his back, at the open doors, and smiled.

“Guys, it’s snowing!”

***

Essek fixed up his scarf, looking at the mirror as his husband put on his mittens. They were in their bedroom, a wide room with a huge bed and warm tones, getting ready to teleport down on land and investigate. He noticed, both on his reflection and on a conscious examination of his own body, that he had tense shoulders and a worried look, and tried to stretch his upper body a little only to wince with the pain. Exactly one second later, Caleb was behind him, his gloved hands pressing onto his spine in a massage.

"Bad day today?" he inquired, and Essek grimaced with a nod. 

"It is probably the concern about this whole scroll business," he told him, and Caleb nodded. He spent some more minutes massaging Essek's neck, shoulders and back, the years of knowing and being known instinctively telling him what to do. 

"I could go there by myself, you know," he offered, and Essek's raised eyebrow that he could see in the mirror made him chuckle. "I know, I know. We've had this type of discussion before."

"And what did I tell you, the first time we had it, _Ta'ecelle_?" Essek asked, and Caleb smiled at the nickname.

"You would say so if the pain was too much, I remember," he kissed his husband's cheek, then gave a step back and continued "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you," he said, turning around and activating his cloak to make him float. "Shall we?"

Caleb nodded and held out his hand for Essek to hold, both of them laughing quietly as they were reminded of the drow's poorly hidden attempts at touch ten years ago, when they had first met. It was the human who drew the teleporting glyphs, and suddenly the air was much colder as they appeared at the entrance of the elven city of Syngorn. A thin layer of snow covered everything they could see, and the wizards took a moment to adjust to their new bearings before calmly proceeding towards the city gates, still holding hands. Essek quickly produced his typical pink parasol and held it over his head with his free hand, protecting himself from the sun.

After talking to the guards and gaining permission to enter the city, they walked together without words for a couple of minutes, regarding the smooth lines of elven architecture framed by the snow. 

"We never get to see much of the snow these days. Far up above the clouds, I mean," Essek commented, and Caleb nodded.

"Would you enjoy staying hovering over Tal'Dorei and coming down to see the snow for the next couple of weeks?" he asked, and the drow smiled.

"Why do you keep wanting to spoil me with good things?" 

"Because it is my duty and my honour as your husband and lover, _Liebling_ ," he smiled, and Essek quietly laughed.

"In that case, I would like to see the snow more often, yes," he squeezed Caleb's hand, a soft smile on his face. "But only if my favourite person is there with me."

"I love you," the redhead kissed their linked hands, then laughed. "Do we get more sappy as we grow old?"

"I would prefer to think that we grow less embarrassed of our own softness," Essek replied with a grin, and the two of them kept walking toward the place they needed to go first. 

The Ambassador's residence was a tall and fine building in one of the richer neighborhoods of the city. Caleb and Essek calmly walked with purpose to the correct location, the redheaded Professor knocking on the smooth set of double doors across from a well-kept garden mostly hidden by the snow. An elven servant opened with an inquiring look, and the drow gave them a nod before saying:

“We’re here to see Ambassador Syldor Vessar. Professors Essek and Caleb Widogast, of the Whistling Towers.”

“Master Syldor is not here at the moment, but…” the servant hesitated, seemingly listening to a call from within the house. “I’m awfully sorry, Masters Widogast, please wait for a moment.” And they closed the door with a silent thump.

“Now that’s odd,” Caleb furrowed his eyebrows, but his puzzleness vanished when the door was once again open, this time by a young man with dark hair and a bright smile. He wore a pair of finely made round glasses and had slightly pointed ears, his elven heritage giving him the swiftness of foot to open the door and embrace both gentlemen in a long hug with only a single gracious move.

“Professors! It has been too long!” he exclaimed, and both men laughed quietly as they patted his back.

“Freddie, it has been too long indeed,” Professor Caleb agreed, smiling as they stepped away from the embrace.

“Mr. De Rolo, what a pleasure to see you,” Professor Essek said, having proceeded to float into the house just enough to not need his pink parasol. Frederick de Rolo was all smiles as he invited them into the ambassador’s living room, where a tea set was waiting for them.

“Do sit down, let’s have some tea! What are the news back from the Towers? What could you two possibly want with my grandfather?” he inquired in a lighthearted conversational tone, already serving both wizards a cup of tea. The Professors sat next to each other on a fine couch, and the young man comfortably seized a cup for himself on a matching chair.

“We have a matter to settle and we need his guidance to navigate within the ranks of this city,” Professor Caleb explained, purposely not giving any specifics. Frederick nodded and sipped his tea, adjusting his glasses before saying, still smiling:

“Well, if I can be of any help, do not hesitate to ask!”

“Now tell us what is your matter with your grandfather. I do not recall that you were so affectionate towards him as to spend time in his house,” Professor Essek commented and the young man gave them a quick laugh.

“He has been trying, I’ll give him that,” he said. “He does prefer Vesper and her lovely elven wife better than me, but I am not here on a family matter, rest assured. I am here on official Whitestone business.”

“So the family’s politics have finally come to disturb you, _mein kind_?” the older human asked, raising an eyebrow. Frederick shrugged with a dismissive smile.

“Well, yes, family business always comes to reach us in some way or another, right?” he answered, then excitedly added “But I am here on interesting business that pertains to my field of expertise, of course! I am overseeing the residuum purchase and storage between Whitestone and Syngorn.”

“Oh, that certainly is interesting,” Professor Essek agreed. “And are you in charge of all commerce of residuum in Whitestone?”

“Yes! It is an intricate matter, as both of you obviously know,” he said. “If you ever need a refill for the Towers, let me know and I’ll arrange everything.”

“We will, thank you,” Professor Caleb nodded. “Look at you, Freddie. All smiles and business. One would never imagine you were the quiet little boy that came to us ten years ago,” he commented, a proud smile growing in his bearded face.

“When you have a loud family such as mine, you tend to try and keep a little bit to yourself,” Frederick shrugged. “But yes, you two made me find my own voice and interests, and I will be forever grateful.”

“It is an honour to see you become such a fine gentleman,” the drow also smiled, sipping his tea. “Your parents must be proud.”

“Yes, I think they appreciate having a wizard in the family,” the young man agreed. “Father has been completely taken over by having a grandchild, though. It is way too common to see Vesper in our Council meetings instead of father, he will sneak away with the child into the city with a mere ‘I’ve taken care of the boring business for too long, it is now your turn’,” he laughed. 

“Sounds like a normal behaviour for Lord Percival, he dotes on his children far too much to not be absolutely smitten with a new baby,” Professor Caleb smiled.

“You would also be absolutely smitten with a baby of your own, Professor,” Freddie commented, and Professor Essek laughed as his husband blushed. 

"Maybe one day I will," he caught to his husband's gaze, the softness present there reassuring him of the truth in his words. They would talk, and plan, when the time was right. 

***

The Dining Hall of the Towers was a large room with tall windows similar in design to the training grounds, only with large sets of tables, round and square, benches and sofas and chairs, spread around. Meals would be served by large floating trays held by unseen servants and passed around the large room that was usually bursting with students, chatter and joy. The staff had a long table of their own, but were allowed to eat with students if so desired. It was common to see the Head Professors either eating in separate tables, having discussions and idle chatter with different groups of students, or together in a small round table on one of the corners of the room. When the latter happened, everyone knew not to disturb them unless it was urgent. 

But Winter's Crest was different. The Dining Hall, usually lit with various sets of dancing lights and candelabra, had a thousand flickering candles floating on the ceiling, producing a warm dim light over the one large table that replaced the smaller ones just for the night of the Winter Feast. The room was fully decorated, with a glowing pine tree full of each student's special ornaments and never-melting snow (a small contribution of chronurgy magic from some graduating students) along with the golden and green decor hanging from the windows. Most of the students would have gone home already, but the table was large enough to have both Head Professors sat on one of its heads side by side, laughing and eating with the remaining students and staff. A soft tune played apparently out of nowhere, its calming notes surpassed by the bubble of happiness in the room. The table was full, being arranged exactly with the size correspondent to the amount of people present, but making it comfortable.

“So what happened with that boy that tried to use _Power Word Kill,_ Professor?” Sofia heard a woman ask. She was one of the Divination teachers, a small human woman with dark skin who always wore dozens of jewelry. She sat two seats away from the Professors, four from the gnome student herself, and it was Professor Essek who answered, suddenly serious:

“We have determined that the scroll came from a stand of the black market controlled by the Myriad agents in Syngorn. We have directed the boy to the rightful authorities in the city and will be on our guard as the investigation proceeds. We shall protect our student from any mistreatment or unfairness.”

“I understand. Very well done, Professor,” she nodded. “The girl who duelled him, Kahla, is my protegeé. She will rightfully face the consequences of the illegal duel.”

“See to it that she does,” he agreed, and then smiled. “Let’s not talk of business at the celebration table, Jessamine, shall we?”

Sofia elbowed Narr, not paying attention to the pleasantries exchanged from the adults. She took a sip of her drink, a strong juice of something she didn’t really know what it was, and said:

“Did you hear that? The Myriad was involved!”

“Now we really do know it’s way out of our league,” her friend commented, mouth full of mashed potatoes and meat. “Hope the kid gets untangled out of that mess soon enough.”

The gnome girl agreed, lost in thoughts. It was a very difficult mess to get out of, if someone wanted to press charges against the boy for attempted murder, or the school for being unsafe, or the entire court of Syngorn to let a kid buy a 9th level Necromancy scroll… A mess, indeed. 

"Very well, very well," Professor Caleb Widogast stood up, after realizing everyone had already helped themselves to the good food to the fullest. "I'd like all of you to know that we've had a great year together, in my humble opinion. We learned and developed both our skills and personalities together, and it is my wish that we have an even better year to come. Thank you for being here and embracing every learning moment to the fullest, I deeply care about each and every one of you," he finished his part as host, looking at his husband as the drow stood up next to him. He had a quiet smile on his face, and his eyes danced with happiness as he looked around the table full of children he knew by name and said:

"It is the night of Winter's Crest, and as most of you know, it's our tradition to exchange gifts with the ones we hold dear in our hearts. I shall begin and we go around the table," he produced a box from his cloak, neatly wrapped with orange paper and a golden bow. He turned to Professor Caleb, trying to hold on to his pleased grin as his husband laughed while unwrapping the present. In the box rested a new set of gloves, a scarf and a finely ornamented hair pin, rose gold with pearls and floral filigree. Sofia thought it was absolutely stunning, looking from only a few seats away next to Narr, and watched as the human teacher smiled and kissed his husband full on the month, murmuring what sounded like a 'thank you' and holding out the pin for Professor Essek to place it on his long red hair.

"It seems like it's a magic item," Narr whispered to her, impressed. "It's very pretty."

"Now, on to all of you," the Professor who had the turn smiled and after a snap of his fingers dozens of small silver packages apparead, each in front of a student or staff member at the table. Sophia’s eyes widened as she opened hers to see a finely crafted leather-bound journal. She flickered through the pages to find a small note in a piece of parchment. It was written in fine calligraphy and, strangely enough, blue ink that resembled the colour of the blue quill on Professor Essek’s desk.

_This is a magical item. You may write endless notes here, it will never run out of pages. You may rip pages to transcribe spells onto your spellbook, they will work as fine spellcasting paper. Even if you rip off a thousand pages, the journal will not run out of pages. Thank you for everything throughout the year and recently as well, Miss Knotwise. I am proud of you. Happy Winter’s Crest._

_Professor Essek_

“Wow,” she heard Narr breath in, looking struck by his own gift. He held a silver pendant with a delicate butterfly carved in white jade, a purple tassel hanging from it. “It’s a Token of Swiftness, I can hang it on my sword and be quicker and smoother. These are so hard to craft!”

“I _know_ , right?” Sofia smiled, amazed. “Professor Essek always gives the best gifts.”

The chatter and excitement of the presents soon gave away to rounds of smitten thank-yous from across the table, and Professor Essek had a pleased smile on his face, whose cheeks and ears had assumed a darker shade of purple. The person next to him came next, giving gifts to two friends and sitting back down. Five other people came up, until it was finally Sofia’s turn. She stood up on her chair, smiled and said:

“First, for the bestest of the best of friends,” she turned to Narr and offered him an empty dark leather sheath, with beautifully carved runes around it. “If you ever throw your sword somewhere, it’ll instantly return to the sheath.”

Narr took it with a wild smile, analyzing the craft and the runes before pulling Sofia in one of his big great hugs. She laughed, pleased her friend had liked it, and then took a small box with a red ribbon out of her pocket. She used her mage hand to make it float towards the Professors, and the drow held it in his palm with an amazed smile.

“Is this for us, Sofia?” Professor Caleb asked, and she nodded.

“I crafted it myself for the two of you,” she explained, and Professor Essek opened the box to reveal a metal disc with a small glass circle in hole in the middle. “Trace the disc with a finger, please? Make a full circle with it.”

He put the disc on the table and did was he was told, and the glass circle glittered and shot glass particles into the air, where they started connecting in a series of intricate lines and shining drawings until a perfectly drawn line art version of the Towers hovered above the disc, its lines glowing in white-ish silver. A series of diminished orange hues floated about what looked like the Dining Hall, and everyone in the room had their jaws dropped. 

“Sofia… It is…” Professor Caleb had an amazed glimmer in his blue eyes, an incredulous smile on his face he watched the lines float. “It is _beautiful_.”

“How did you do it?” Professor Essek asked, also looking at the gift with awe.

“Uh, it’s a bit too complicated to explain, but I tinkered with the reflective properties of glass and transmuting metal and those projection spells we’ve learned earlier in the year and…” she stopped talking, knowing she was starting a rant. “It’s a small thing for you two to remember that you’ve made this place a home for many of us, and it’ll show the bacic location of every life form within the school. You can make it more accurate with a binding spell. Did you like it?”

“ _I loved it_ ,” both the Professors said at the same time, amazed, and then laughed at each other. “Thank you very much, Sofia,” Professor Caleb added.

They were still struck with amazement by the time they headed back to their quarters, holding on to various gifts and carefully placing them on the round meeting table in the center of the room. Essek had the disc safe on his hand, and put it on the coffee table, displaying the school before sitting down on the couch. Caleb sat next to him, letting him stretch and spread himself all over him on the sofa, very much like a cat. They stayed there in comfortable silence for a while, watching the snow fall from the windows and cuddling.

“I have never cared much about Winter’s Crest before,” Essek commented, his head resting on Caleb’s chest as they laid together on the warm sofa. “It is probably one of my favourite seasons now.”

“I am glad to have changed your view on this particular matter,” the redheaded wizard said, playing with his husband’s silver hair. “We are having lunch with the De Rolos tomorrow, correct?”

“We promised Frederick, yes,” Essek agreed. “And the girls said they were coming for dinner, right?”

“Yes, Jester has been on and on about how she is very excited to give us our presents,” Caleb laughed quietly. “I like this life we made for ourselves,” he pointed out with a happy sigh.

“I very much enjoy it as well, _mirssham_ ,” he smiled, moving around to be able to look at his husband from his position. Caleb still had the golden hair piece placed in his half-up hairdo, its pearls shining in the moonlight, and had a soft smile under his well-kept beard. “Thank you for being here to build it with me.”

“Happy Winter’s Crest, _Liebling_ ,” the redheaded wizard wished, lowering his head to press a soft kiss on Essek’s forehead. “To many more to come.”

“To many more to come,” he echoed, intertwining his husband’s fingers with his. 

**Author's Note:**

> Small glossary!
> 
> Liebling - zemnian for "darling".  
> Scheiße - zemnian for "shit".  
> Ta'ecelle - undercommon for "sunlight".  
> mein kind - zemnian for "my child".  
> mirssham - undercommon for "angel".
> 
> Let me know if you find any mistakes or need any further explanations! I do enjoy this AU and have thought about it a lot lmao
> 
> Happy New Year, everyone! To a year full of laughter and peace!


End file.
